PRAISE IS TO ALLAH SWT: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IN JAKARTA & BANDUNG

The three ISDEV Researchers about to embark on their academic mission in Jakarta and Bandung.

ISDEV Researchers, Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh, Dr. Mohd Syakir Mohd Rosdi and Dr. Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan were recently flown to Indonesia to conduct a field work of their research study at the Centre for Islamic Studies in Finance, Economic and Development  (CISFED) in Jakarta as well as Daarut Tauhiid in Bandung and Universitas Islam Bandung (UNISBA). The trip was from 14 until 18 February 2015.

Focused Group  Discussion with the members of "Perhimpunan Baitulmal Wa Tamwil" (PBMT).

The first day of the trip saw ISDEV Researchers having a Focused Group Discussion with "Perhimpunan Baitulmal Wa Tamwil" (PBMT, Islamic Microfinance) led by Bapak Saat Suharto, President and Director of PBMT Ventura. Bapak Saat Suharto explained to ISDEV Researchers about PBMT programme in helping to improve the local economy through Islamic Microfinance. Moreover ISDEV Researchers also had the opportunity to mingle and meet up with other  members of PBMT.

Prof. Syukri (right) delivering a public lecture at the "Seminar Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam" organized by Insan Cendekia Madani (ICM).

Prof. Syukri's talk was full of vigour and vitality as his talk is on a subject that is very close to his heart.

On the second day, Prof. Syukri was invited by Insan Cendekia Madani (ICM), an elite Islamic Private Boarding School at Bintaro, Jakarta to deliver a public lecture  at "Seminar Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam". Prof. Syukri gave a talk on Strategy for Islamic Education Development. The Seminar was attended by administrative staff and teachers of ICM and was well received by the audience.

Dr. Mohd Syakir Mohd Rosdi talks on "Thoughts on Islamic Political Economy" at Centre for Islamic Studies in Finance, Economic and Development (CISFED).

Meanwhile in the afternoon session, Dr. Mohd Syakir Mohd Rosdi took his turn to talk on "Pemikiran Ekonomi Politik Islam" at CISFED, Jakarta. The program was mostly attended by "Alumni Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam" (HMI) who are involved directly and indirectly with CISFED. In this program, ISDEV and CISFED had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on current Islamic political economic development especially in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Ready to leave for Bandung- Dr. Atih from UNISBA come to fetch ISDEV Researchers in Jakarta.  .

The researchers then departed to Bandung on 16 February and was fetch  by Dr. Atih Rohaeti Dariah (one of ISDEV Co-Researchers in ISDEV Research University Team (RUT)) and Ade Yunita Mafruhat, a MISDEV'14 (Postgraduate by Mixed Mode) student, who hails from Bandung, Indonesia.

ISDEV Researchers collecting data at Daarut Tauhiid.

Part of the field work - Collecting data through an informal interview session  with a student at
Baitul Qur'an, Daarut Tauhiid.

The mission then continued on 17 February with a field work at Daarut Tauhiid - an institution founded by Abdullah Gymnastiar (or popular known as AA Gym). At Daarut Tauhiid, the field work was divided into three parts whereby the researchers conducted their field work at Pejabat Wakaf Daarut Tauhiid, Yayasan Daarut Tauhiid and Pesantren Tahfiz Darut Tauhiid (Baitul Qur'an).

Prof. Syukri delivers a public lecture at UNISBA.

One of the students poses a question to Prof.Syukri.

On the last day of the research trip Prof. Syukri was once again invited to deliver a public lecture on "Polisi Pembangunan Berteraskan Islam" (Islamic-based Development Policy). The public lecture organized by UNISBA was attended by lecturers and students from the Faculty of Economics and Business. A Q& A session took place after Prof. Syukri ended his speech and the audience especially , UNISBA undergraduate students took the opportunity to pose some questions for clearer understanding.

Serious Focused Group Discussion (FGD) with ISDEV Research Collaborators from UNISBA.

A Focus Group Discussion then took place among ISDEV and UNISBA researchers by focusing on "Pelaku Pembangunan Berasaskan Al-Qur'an" (Development Actors Based on Al-Qur'an). Researchers  from both institutions presented their findings of their research which led to the positive progress of the research.

Alhamdulillah - mission accomplished.

Overall the mission to Jakarta and Bandung was accomplished and the researchers were satisfied with the results of their field work. They conclude that besides collecting information for their research, they also had the chance to disseminate ISDEV thoughts as well as learning new ideas from others. From this field work ISDEV researchers had the chance to widen their networking as well as strengthen the ukhuwwah with their counterparts from Indonesia.